Anyone on here worked for Percy Main? I’m a driver at Stagecoach have been for 10 years but due to the route I am currently doing being lost to another operator and I’m not a fan of the other routes at the depot I’m thinking of a change. Riverside is closer to me but I don’t fancy working out or Gateshead interchange. The routes at Percy Main interest me more and I’m wondering if it’s worth it? 

Where do drivers get their breaks? 
Are they paid weekly like Stagecoach? 
Is it one big rota and you do all routes or is it like Stagecoach where each route has their own rota? 

Anyone able to respond would be much appreciated.

(10 Feb 2026, 10:05 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote Anyone on here worked for Percy Main? I’m a driver at Stagecoach have been for 10 years but due to the route I am currently doing being lost to another operator and I’m not a fan of the other routes at the depot I’m thinking of a change. Riverside is closer to me but I don’t fancy working out or Gateshead interchange. The routes at Percy Main interest me more and I’m wondering if it’s worth it? 

Where do drivers get their breaks? 
Are they paid weekly like Stagecoach? 
Is it one big rota and you do all routes or is it like Stagecoach where each route has their own rota? 

Anyone able to respond would be much appreciated.

The cooling off period doesn't end until the end of this week. Are Stagecoach definitely losing the 18, 32/32A and 787?

(10 Feb 2026, 10:12 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote The cooling off period doesn't end until the end of this week. Are Stagecoach definitely losing the 18, 32/32A and 787?

It’s registered on bus times as services withdrawn now so I’d imagine they have been lost sadly. Walkergate going to have about 20 too many drivers and Slatyford are going to have some but not as much. There’s talk of voluntary redundancies. They will probably have to loan drivers out to other depots like Sunderland, South Shields, Hartlepool and Stockton

(10 Feb 2026, 10:20 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote It’s registered on bus times as services withdrawn now so I’d imagine they have been lost sadly. Walkergate going to have about 20 too many drivers and Slatyford are going to have some but not as much. There’s talk of voluntary redundancies. They will probably have to loan drivers out to other depots like Sunderland, South Shields, Hartlepool and Stockton

Stockton are going to be overstaffed too.

Stagecoach don’t do voluntary redundancies, they didn’t when they lost the megabus and 317, they just find drivers to walk the plank.

(10 Feb 2026, 11:11 pm)Northern Spirit wrote Stockton are going to be overstaffed too.

Stagecoach don’t do voluntary redundancies, they didn’t when they lost the megabus and 317, they just find drivers to walk the plank.

How are Stockton going to be overstaffed? 

Have to wait and see what they do then

(10 Feb 2026, 10:05 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote Anyone on here worked for Percy Main? I’m a driver at Stagecoach have been for 10 years but due to the route I am currently doing being lost to another operator and I’m not a fan of the other routes at the depot I’m thinking of a change. Riverside is closer to me but I don’t fancy working out or Gateshead interchange. The routes at Percy Main interest me more and I’m wondering if it’s worth it? 

Where do drivers get their breaks? 
Are they paid weekly like Stagecoach? 
Is it one big rota and you do all routes or is it like Stagecoach where each route has their own rota? 

Anyone able to respond would be much appreciated.

I'm not a driver there, however last year I did get an information pack off them as there were voluntary redundancies doing the rounds at my current employment.  From what I remember, breaks were back at the depot.  Paid weekly.  I only got a sample in the pack, but my understanding was you did all routes and the rota was split by 4 day, 5 day, new driver, late rota, split rota etc

As for Riverside, if the rotas are still the same you'd start/finish at the Metrocentre for the most part if you could get on the red rota.  Anything going through Gateshead though, if you take a bus from the depot chances are you'll sign off at Gateshead and have to make your own way back for your car.  Or vice versa.

(Yesterday, 12:31 pm)Chris 1 wrote I'm not a driver there, however last year I did get an information pack off them as there were voluntary redundancies doing the rounds at my current employment.  From what I remember, breaks were back at the depot.  Paid weekly.  I only got a sample in the pack, but my understanding was you did all routes and the rota was split by 4 day, 5 day, new driver, late rota, split rota etc

As for Riverside, if the rotas are still the same you'd start/finish at the Metrocentre for the most part if you could get on the red rota.  Anything going through Gateshead though, if you take a bus from the depot chances are you'll sign off at Gateshead and have to make your own way back for your car.  Or vice versa.

Thanks mate. Sounds as if Percy Main is similar to Stagecoach as we have our breaks at depot etc. riverside is a downside with finishing at Gateshead Interchange and having to go back to depot means longer before you get to go home. 

It’s nice to know you do all routes at Percy Main compared to stagecoach where you go on a rota 62/63 for example and just do them all the time which gets very boring. I’ve heard voluntary redundancies at Stagecoach not sure how true that will be or not. I do the 32/32A services and we lose them 22nd March so gotta think of what I want to do before then.

(Yesterday, 4:07 pm)ReDemPTiion wrote Thanks mate. Sounds as if Percy Main is similar to Stagecoach as we have our breaks at depot etc. riverside is a downside with finishing at Gateshead Interchange and having to go back to depot means longer before you get to go home. 

It’s nice to know you do all routes at Percy Main compared to stagecoach where you go on a rota 62/63 for example and just do them all the time which gets very boring. I’ve heard voluntary redundancies at Stagecoach not sure how true that will be or not. I do the 32/32A services and we lose them 22nd March so gotta think of what I want to do before then. 

Far from telling you what to do; if I was in the same position, I'd think about how long I had been employed by them, think about what sort of redundancy options there may be and factor any other circumstances like that in to my decision. 

Far too many times, I've seen people jump before finding out they would have been entitled to X, if they had seen redundancy through.

There may also be TUPE considerations to think about too.
If the contract is being moved to another provider, you may be eligible to transfer with the contract, to the new provider.

I'm not saying you will definitely get redundancy (I don't know your circumstances) and I'm not saying you will be eligible for TUPE, but at least investigate and look to see what you may be entitled to - if redundancy is going to be the route they go down.

(9 hours ago)Andreos1 wrote Far from telling you what to do; if I was in the same position, I'd think about how long I had been employed by them, think about what sort of redundancy options there may be and factor any other circumstances like that in to my decision. 

Far too many times, I've seen people jump before finding out they would have been entitled to X, if they had seen redundancy through.

There may also be TUPE considerations to think about too.
If the contract is being moved to another provider, you may be eligible to transfer with the contract, to the new provider.

I'm not saying you will definitely get redundancy (I don't know your circumstances) and I'm not saying you will be eligible for TUPE, but at least investigate and look to see what you may be entitled to - if redundancy is going to be the route they go down.

10 years I’ve been at Stagecoach. First time I’ve ever been kicked off a route due to it changing operators. I don’t think I’d want to go down the redundancy route unless I can be 100% sure someone like GNE would take me on etc. 

The TUPE way could be possible but nothing against Gateshead Central but I really don’t fancy working for them so that’s out the question. The routes definitely going now I’m sure the deadline has now passed for them to change their mind etc I just need to figure out what I want to do.

(7 hours ago)ReDemPTiion wrote 10 years I’ve been at Stagecoach. First time I’ve ever been kicked off a route due to it changing operators. I don’t think I’d want to go down the redundancy route unless I can be 100% sure someone like GNE would take me on etc. 

The TUPE way could be possible but nothing against Gateshead Central but I really don’t fancy working for them so that’s out the question. The routes definitely going now I’m sure the deadline has now passed for them to change their mind etc I just need to figure out what I want to do.

If you are eligible for redundancy, then 10 years service will equate to a few weeks wages at least: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/r...or%20older

At the very least, the only thing I will say, is don't do anything too hasty.

You've got the potential to get 10/15 weeks worth of pay (tax free) to think about. 
If you're made redundant on the Friday and then just happen to start a new job on the Monday, even better! 

I'm far from a professional and I'm not offering professional advice, but please get some proper advice if redundancy is going to be a potential route.

Whatever you do, if you decide to leave Stagecoach, DO NOT leave until you have a position secured elsewhere. Your notice period is only a week, remember.

Thanks for the advice it’s much appreciated.

I have to say, there's half a chance yous just get distributed onto other rotas to fill spare lines with the 32 rota becoming a 'spare' rota (if yous don't already have one, I haven't looked).

(4 hours ago)F114TML wrote I have to say, there's half a chance yous just get distributed onto other rotas to fill spare lines with the 32 rota becoming a 'spare' rota (if yous don't already have one, I haven't looked).

So is the 32/32A definitely going to Gateshead Central, or is there still a chance it might stay with Stagecoach?